What is CFA?

Eshna

Last updated October 27, 2016

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What is CFA? CFA or Chartered Financial Analyst is a professional designation offered to finance professionals by the CFA Institute. Candidates who qualify in the CFA exams are designated with the CFA credential. CFA is one of the most demanded professional credentials in the finance industry. Being globally acknowledged, CFA charter holders are widely appointed in popular finance companies such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Northern Trust and other popular investment banks. This credential is mostly sought after by finance and investment professionals looking forward towards building a career in investment banking, financial management, financial analysis on stocks, derivatives etc.

CFA Certification Program

CFA program includes three levels of qualification – CFA Level I, CFA Level II and CFA Level III. One needs to qualify all the three CFA certification levels sequentially in order to become a CFA charter holder. CFA program is based on a Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBK). CBK is established by the CFA Institute. It defines topic areas that are covered in the CFA exams. CFA Level I exam includes topics on financial reporting and analysis, ethics, quantitative methods, fixed income and economics. CFA Level II exam includes equity investment and financial reporting and analysis. On the other hand, CFA Level III exam includes portfolio management and fixed income securities. Candidates opting for CFA charter program should understand these topic areas and build a grasp before attending the exams.

CFA – Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Besides the finance topics CFA charter program is also based on the code of ethics and professional conduct laid by the CFA Institute. One needs to adhere by the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct and this is applicable for all CFA candidates and members. The code of ethics and professional conduct are considered as the benchmark for investment professionals worldwide. There are seven types of code of ethics and professional conduct defined by the CFA Institute for candidates and members.

CFA Charter Holder – Scope in the Job Market

As mentioned in the beginning of the article, CFA is the most demanded professional credential in the financial world. CFA charter holders go through rigorous exam process in order to attain the designation and in the process attain good amount of knowledge on investment topics and financial specializations. Besides, they prove their ability to abide by the code of ethics and professional conduct set by CFA Institute. From multinational companies to private financial institutions, every employer values a CFA charter holder. Besides, CFA certification holder earns more salary than their non-credential peers.

CFA Certification Training for Professionals

CFA is the most demanded professional financial credential; it witnesses huge demand in the job market and offers better monthly income. When CFA adds so much value to a professional, who doesn’t want to attain it? To prepare well and qualify in the CFA exams, candidates can attend CFA certification training and polish their knowledge and expertise. Simplilearn offers CFA certification training for CFA Level I exam and CFA Level II exam. One can either attend CFA classroom training, CFA online training or CFA virtual classroom training, as per their convenience. Visit Simplilearn website to know more about CFA certification training program.

About the Author

Eshna is a writer at Simplilearn. She has done Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication and is a Gold Medalist in the same. A voracious reader, she has penned several articles in leading national newspapers like TOI, HT and The Telegraph. She loves traveling and photography.